Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the members of this Assembly for taking the step of suspending its current sitting after today to allow Cabinet and the public service greater opportunity to prepare for the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Although there remains no reported case in the NWT, our government continues to prepare for the impact of this pandemic.  Hour to hour, we are monitoring the state of the COVID-19 situation as it continues to evolve. I want to share with the Assembly some of the actions and planning that is underway.

La priorité absolue du gouvernement des Territoires du Nord‑Ouest (GTNO) est la santé et la sécurité des Ténois, et nous prenons des mesures proactives pour être prêts à répondre à la situation de la COVID‑19 au fur et à mesure qu’elle évolue.

À l’heure actuelle, aucun cas de COVID-19 n’a été signalé aux Territoires du Nord‑Ouest (TNO), et le risque de contracter le virus aux TNO et au Canada demeure faible.

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Good afternoon. We all know in the coming weeks that there will be new challenges presented here in the Northwest Territories, both for our residents and for the health care system. I want to assure you that we are prepared, and are continuing to prepare.

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Good afternoon, I’m here to talk to the residents of the Northwest Territories about COVID-19.

Earlier today I was absent in the house, and session, to participate on a call from 11 o’clock to 1 o’clock with the Prime Minister and all Premiers across Canada. All Premiers are concerned about COVID-19, and we are all taking precautionary measures to limit the spread and associated impacts throughout Canada.

Monsieur le Président, je suis fier de célébrer la communauté francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest dans le cadre des 22^e Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. Cette initiative nationale, qui a lieu en mars chaque année, permet aux 9,5 millions de francophones du Canada de promouvoir la langue française et de fêter ses diverses formes d’expression dans l’ensemble du pays.

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to give well deserved recognition to Team Northwest Territories who were scheduled to compete at the 2020 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon from March 15 -21.

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Justice one of my responsibilities is to set the objectives, priorities and goals of the Territorial Police Service. While the GNWT respects the operational independence of the RCMP, the intention of setting these objectives is to establish a broad strategic direction for the delivery of policing services in the Northwest Territories that incorporates the unique needs of our communities.

Check Against Delivery

Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the value of tourism in the Northwest Territories we often speak in terms of the dollars spent and the number of visitors tallied.

In 2018-2019, the tourism industry showed record numbers in both of these categories, emphasizing once again that the approach to, and investments in, our Tourism 2020 Strategy are working. In fact, over the last five years have increased the number of visitors to our territory by 42% and boosted spending by 43%.

Activités ministérielles pour la semaine du 10 au 16 mars 2020

Déplacements ministériels

 Veuillez noter que le calendrier des déplacements pourrait être modifié avec peu ou pas de préavis. Ce calendrier est à jour en date du 9 mars 2020.

• Caroline Cochrane participera à la réunion des premiers ministres, à Ottawa, en Ontario, des 12 et 13 mars.
• Katrina Nokleby assistera au Symposium sur le pétrole et le gaz dans l’Arctique, à Calgary, en Alberta, du 16 au 19 mars.

Rencontres et participations événementielles